Sally Wiener GrottaOlympus Camedia C-7000 ZoomThe C-7000 Zoom has the power of an enthusiast-class camera squeezed into a compact size. It's easy to operate for non-techies, but versatile and powerful enough for more demanding users.

The C-7000 Zoom has the power of an enthusiast-class camera squeezed into a compact size. It's easy to operate for non-techies, but versatile and powerful enough for more demanding users.

Cute and compact, with excellent handling characteristics and a sensible menu structure, the Olympus Camedia C-7000 Zoom offers a bevy of features, including a 5X optical zoom lens. While it lacks a few refinements, such as a focusable diopter, the 7.1MP C-7000 is a solid, fun camera that provides a very good mix of price, performance, ergonomics, and image quality. The PowerShot S70 just nudges it out of the running for an Editors' Choice in the compact category, but it's still a very good buy, especially if you prefer a long zoom.

Olympus's claim that its all-metal, silver-bodied C-7000 is the world's smallest 7MP camera with a 5X optical zoom lens is currently true, though the Pentax Optio 750Z is virtually identical in size and weight. We generally like the C-7000's ergonomicsrecessed rear select dial, all buttons reachable with the right thumb, nonslip grip, manual pop-up flash, easy-to-open port covers, and a very bright, clear 2-inch LCD. On the negative side, the tripod screw socket is plastic (we prefer metal), the battery and memory card compartment door is flimsy and doesn't always close properly, and the optical viewfinder has no focusable diopterunfortunate for eyeglasses wearers. And looking through the optical viewfinder with your right eye virtually guarantees your nose will touch the LCD.

Shooting with the C-7000 is enjoyable. The camera is ready to take its first shot in a respectable if not blazing 3.1 seconds, and its recycle time averages 3 seconds. The menu is much easier to understand and navigate than other Olympus models we've seen. Having to open and close the pop-up flash manually is less irritating than you might thinkit means that when you don't want it, you don't have to hunt for the button or setting that deactivates it.

Image quality is very good to excellent. At 1,550 lines, resolution was better than average for its class. Although its average pixel transition ratio of 2.2 percent, while quite acceptable, is subpar for this roundup. Our daylight test shot sparkled with life, with great dynamic range, lots of detail, very good-to-excellent color, nice contrast, and perfect exposure. The flash test shot was somewhat underexposed, but otherwise was also very appealing, with good dynamic range and nicely saturated color.

The C-7000 Zoom has enthusiast-class power squeezed into a compact size. It's easy to operate for non-techies, but versatile and powerful enough for demanding users.

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About the Author

Sally Wiener Grotta is a contributing editor of PC Magazine, a professional photographer, a digital artist, and an early pioneer in computer graphics. She has coauthored several books with Daniel Grotta, including The Illustrated Digital Imaging Dictionary (McGraw-Hill). Her expertise extends to digital cameras, scanners, printers, imaging and illu... See Full Bio

More From Sally Wiener

Daniel Grotta & Sally Wiener Grotta are PC Magazine's Digital Photography Gurus and widely respected experts on imaging and anything to do with pictures in computers. Known for their down-to-earth, easy-to understand approach to fun, creative photography and image editing, the Grottas are the authors of "PC Magazine Guide to Digital Photography" (J... See Full Bio

Olympus Camedia C-7000 Zoom

Olympus Camedia C-7000 Zoom

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